Wednesday, 3 October 2012

Early morning Adventures

3:30am Sunday morning I awoke to the familiar, yet unwelcome sound on a Sunday, Pink Panther Theme tune. I'd agreed in a moment of weakness, or madness, to join some fellow crazy people on a 12 km hike down on the Gold Coast hinterland.
4:20am. I'm waiting in the dark (I'm scared of the dark just for the record), waiting for my lift and imagining all sorts of Hobbly Gobblys lurking and waiting to eat me. Thankfully I was saved by a Yorkshire lass in a white car just as I was preparing to protect myself from the attack of some nasty creature creeping somewhere towards me. I could sense its evil presence.
5:45am. Arrive at meeting point and find other aforementioned crazy people. Let me tell you a little bit more about this hike. There is an event that takes place every year on the Gold Coast called The Kokada Challenge - this hike is only 6 km (they wouldn't turn around at 6km and come back they'd just keep going) out of that 96 km course and oh my. That is all. Oh my. It starts with a 2km uphill (gradient apparently 41, whatever that means, trust me it was pretty steep) then mixed terrain but mostly downhill for 4kms and then you get to turn around and climb 4kms uphill and end with the steep 2km downhill. Awesomeness!
Thankfully my company kept my mind off the journey. Laughing always makes everything easier. I still have the Wombles Theme song in my head.

9:35am. Back at base camp (I like calling it that, makes me feel like we climbed Everest). There are complaints of blisters, knee pain, back pain, tiredness but mostly there is there is this grand sense of accomplishment. Every person who got out of bed before the sun and attempted this hike, no matter how far they got before they turned back, I think should feel a little bit proud of their greatness. It is not something I would have thought I'd be able to do 2 years ago.

Me with some of the other Crazy People and Kommando Nate!

There is someone I like to thank. Without its help I may have gone ass over tit a few times. It appeared when I needed it most and I brought it home with me.

Meet Kierrie.

Oh and for the record my gluteus maximus has not fully recovered. Hot butt on the way!